Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas declined Thursday to answer questions about an Afghan man accused of planning an ISIS-inspired Election Day terrorist attack.
Mr. Mayorkas, 64, is investigating how Nasir Ahmad Tawhidi entered the United States, the vetting process involved, and whether the 27-year-old Oklahoma City resident became radicalized before or after entering the United States. He interrupted a Fox News reporter who bombarded him with questions about whether he knew what he was doing. Arrived in the country.
“While we would be very happy to answer your questions in another setting, we are here to talk about emergencies and the assistance we can provide to those in desperate need,” DHS The secretary responded during a virtual appearance at the White House. Press conference.
The reporter said DHS and the State Department said: “Conflicting answers” As for Tauhedi's immigration status, Mayorkas' agency claims the terrorist suspect arrived on a special immigrant visa issued by the State Department, while the State Department says the evidence shows Tauhedi entered the country on parole by DHS. did.
“Why don't you have an answer like that?” the reporter asked Mayorkas, who seemed irritated by the grilling.
“Oh, uh, that's not what I said,” Mayorkas replied. “What I said was that I would be happy to discuss this issue another time, but I am here to talk about a disaster that is affecting people's lives in real time. , that is the subject I will address today.”
Mayorkas again did not respond to a question about whether he could at least “assure the public that appropriate measures are being taken to protect the country from this type of threat.”
“The tenacity of your questions will match the tenacity of my answers,” he said, drawing a laugh from White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Mayorkas attended the briefing from North Carolina, where he was monitoring recovery efforts related to Hurricane Helen.
Tauhedi was charged with conspiring and attempting to provide material support to ISIS on Tuesday, accused of contacting terrorist promoters, stockpiling arms and ammunition, and selling family assets to move relatives overseas. He was indicted by the Department of Justice for allegedly doing so. They are planning a massacre on election day.
The Afghan national entered the United States on September 9, 2021. It came just weeks after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan and the last US troops departed from the war-torn country amid chaos orchestrated by the Harris-Biden administration.
